Invalid walking and exercising apparatus



Oct. 4, 1955 N. E. WEBB INVALID WALKING AND EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1953 INVENTOR. NELLY E. WEBB mgg EYE

United States Patent INVALID WALKING AND EXERCISING APPARATUS Nelly E. Webb, Long Beach, Calif.

Application August 6, 1953, Serial No. 372,720

4 Claims. (Cl. 15524) The present invention relates generally to the field of supporting devices for use by invalids, and more particularly to a device and apparatus for use in conjunction with a conventional invalid walker to maintain an invalid in a substantially vertical position whereby he may walk and exercise without injury.

It is well known that when a patient is confined to a bed over a long period of time he suffers from various secondary physical reactions due to inactivity whereby the body fails to properly eliminate waste materials. By use of the supporting apparatus of the present invention a patient may exercise at a very early stage of convalescence, and thus hasten recovery.

Although various types of invalid walkers and exercising devices have been evolved in the past for the bedridden, none of this equipment provides the particular advantages in application afforded by the present invention whereby an invalid may safely walk and exercise without the aid of an attendant. Previously available equipment of this nature has been bulky and cumbersome in design, unsafe to the point of requiring constant attendance when in use, and so expensive as to prohibit general use thereof.

The primary purpose in devising my supporting apparatus is to provide means whereby chronic invalids, hospital patients, the crippled, and other temporary or permanently incapacitated persons may be able to walk without danger of falling or personal injury, and without the necessity of a nurse or attendant being present during use thereof.

The major object of my invention is to provide a rigid frame of relatively simple structure that may be removably afiixed to a conventional invalid walker, from which a garment of special design depends which is capable of furnishing the necessary support to maintain an invalid in an upright walking position.

Another object of my invention is to supply a garment adapted to be adjusted to snugly envelop the torso and materially assist an invalid to walk in an upright position by adding stability and rigidity to the body.

A further object of my invention is to provide supl porting apparatus which may be easily and quickly adjusted to the particular size and height of a patient, and one including a washable garment which may be easily placed on or removed from a patient.

A still further object of my invention is to furnish an invalid-assisting device which may be fabricated from standard commercially available materials, is free from a complexity of parts, and one that may be merchandised at a sufliciently low price as to be available to individuals and hospitals alike.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide an invalid exercising apparatus which in certain instances lessens the convalescent time of a patient due to such patients becoming ambulatory invalids at the earliest possible date.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of 2,719,568 Patented Oct. 4, 1955 a preferred form thereof, and from the drawing illustrating that form in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus ernbodying my invention mounted on a conventional invalid walker, showing the manner in which a patient is supported thereby in an upright walking position;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the supporting garment of my invention showing the manner by which it is affixed to the cooperating apparatus thereof;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the supporting garment;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the supporting garment;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lowermost portion of one frame member of my apparatus illustrating the clamp associated therewith; C

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of one of the lowermost portions of the frame of my invention showing the horizontally disposed clamp mounted thereon; and,

Figure 7 is a side elevational view showing an alternate form of my garment.

Referring now to the drawing for the geenral arrangement of the apparatus embodying my invention, it will be seen that it is adapted to be removably affixed to a conventional invalid walker W shown in phantom line in Figure l. The walker W comprises a frame made of tubular stock including laterally spaced side sections 16, 10 of substantially rectangular shape which have horizontally spaced bars 11, 11 that may be gripped by the patient for balance and support. The forwardly disposed portion of each bar 11 turns downwardly to define a vertically disposed leg 12. Each bar 11 has a rearwardly disposed leg 13 depending downwardly therefrom. Legs 12 and 13 are telescopically adjustable in upright tubular members 14 and 15' respectively.

Side sections 10, 10 are held in the desired lateral spacing by a forwardly disposed cross piece 16 and'a U-shaped member 17 affixed to the lower portion of the upright members 14 and 15. Casters 18 are mounted on the lower end portions of members 14 and 15, which casters are preferably of a type in which the wheels 18a thereof do' not'swivel, but are maintained in a fixed vertical plane substantially in alignment with bars 11, 11. The reasons for utilizing this type of caster will hereinafter become apparent. Walker W is normallyprovided with a horizontally disposable seat, but inasmuch as a seat is at no time used in conjunction with my apparatus, it is not shown herein as a part of the walker.

The apparatus of my invention is shown in its assembled form in solid line in Figure 1. As may be seen, the invention has a pair of U-shaped tubular side sections 20, 20. Each section 20 embodies a horizontally disposed member 21 from which forwardly and rearwardly disposed legs 22 and 23 depend. Each leg 22 has 'a vertically disposed clamp 24 afiixed to the lower portion thereof,.the structural details of which may be seen in' Figure 5. Legs 23 are somewhat shorter than legs 22(Figure 1), and a horizontally disposed clamp 25 is affixed to the lower end portions of legs 23. The structural details of clamp 25 are shown in Figure 6. Two horizontal cross pieces 26 and 27 extend between members 20 as seen in Figure 1. Clamp 24 shown in Figure 5 includes two semi-cylindrical pieces 28 and 29 which are provided with a longitudinally extending hinge 30. Lips 28a and 29a are formed on the free edge portions of clamp pieces 28 and 29 respectively, which lips have aligned bores through which a screw 31 projects to be engaged by a wing nut 32. When the nut 32 is tightened, clamp pieces 28 and 29 are drawn together to grip legs 12, 12 with the desired amount of force. The construction of clamp 25 is similar to that of clamp 24. Clamp 25 includes a semi-cylindrical clamp piece 33 which is connected by a lonigtudinal hinge 34 to another semi-cylindrical clamp piece 35, as may best be seen in Figure 6. The two clamp pieces 33 and 35 are provided with lips 33a and 35a respectively on their free edge portions, which lips are formed with aligned bores through which a screw 36 projects to be engaged by a wing nut 37. When nut 37 is tightened, clamp 25 is caused to grip the rearwardly disposed portion of the bars 11 with which it is associated.

Although the above described component parts of my apparatus may be fabricated from various materials, it has been found most desirable to construct my frame from tubular metal stock as it is light in weight, easily worked, and attractive in appearance when completely assembled.

The structural details of the garment G are illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The garment is preferably fabricated from a washable cloth such as a sturdy canvas, or the like, and comprises a form-fitting one-piece integral unit. Two leg openings are provided, a front portion 51, and a back portion 52. Two recessed arm openings 53 are formed in the sides of the garment between the upper extremities of the front and back portions.

In fabricating the garment it has been found most satisfactory to employ four basic pieces securely sewn to gether by felled seams at adjoining edges extending along the sides of the garment from the armholes 53 to the leg openings 50, and at adjacent edges in the center front and back portions proceeding from the crotch 54 to the neck opening 55 of the garment. A zippered opening 56 is provided in the center back of the garment extending from a point 57 above the crotch to the neck opening 55, which permits the garment to be easily placed on or removed from a patient.

Two heavy webbing straps 58 and 59 are securely sewn to the front 51 which continuously extend at an angle from each side of the neck opening 55 down and under the crotch 54 where they cross and overlap to continue up the back portion 52 at an angle to the corresponding sides of the neck opening. For clarity, the straps on the back portion 52 are generally designated 58a and 59a. It should be noted that the shoulder portions between the neck opening 55 and the armholes 53 are not joined. Straps 58, 59, 58a, and 59a may be extended to such length as to loop over cross pieces 26 and 27, or by means of hooks H and rings R, may be removably aflixed to looped straps 62 that are mounted thereon. The looped portions of the straps may be adjusted by use of buckles 60 to support garment G at the desired elevation from the cross pieces 26 and 27.

Cushion-like padding 53a outline the arm openings 53 to serve much in the same manner as the padded upper extremity of a crutch in partially supporting the weight of the patient wearing the garment. Padding 53a also lessens the possibility of chafing. Likewise a pillow-like padding 54a lines the crotch 54 to provide a comfortable support for the patient. A strip 59a of felt or similar soft fabric, edges and lines the lower leg portions in order to avoid chafing. It will be particularly noted that the use of separate straps 62 mounted on cross pieces 26 and 27 eliminates all possibility of the straps 58, 59, 58a and 59a becoming entangled when the garment is placed on or removed from a patient.

In Figures 2, 3 and 4 it will be seen that a number of vertically spaced, laterally adjustable straps 66 are provided. Each of the straps 66 consists of two portions 66a and 661) that may be laterally adjusted by a buckle '67 at their overlapping end portions. The free ends of strap portions 66a and 66b are sewn or otherwise affixed to straps 57, 59, 58a and 59a, as shown. By laterally adjusting straps 66, the garment G may be caused to closely conform to the body contour of the individual patient. The tightly fitting garment also imparts a certain rigidity to the patients body and is of material assistance in supporting the invalid in an upright walking position.

Should it be desired, lateral adjustment of garment G may be made by the alternate construction shown in Figure 7. Two vertically disposed, laterally spaced tabs 70 are provided at each side of the garment. Each tab 70 has a number of vertically spaced eyelets 71 formed therein, which are engaged by a lacing 72. When the lacings are tightened, tabs 70 are drawn together, causing the garment G to grip the patients body with the desired amount of force. The purpose of utilizing lacings 72 is the same as that attained by the use of straps 67. The use of my apparatus is extremely simple. The garment is normally put on when the patient is in a reclining position in bed. It will be apparent that positioning of the garment is not difficult due to the long, zippered opening which may be readily closed when the patient is in a sitting position. With the garment so enveloping the patient, he may then be assisted to his feet with the straps 58, 59, 58a, and 59a supported from the cross pieces 26 and 27 as above described, and secured at the desired height to permit the patient .to walk upright in a comfortable supported position. The invalids arms will then be free to grip the handle bars 11, 11 in assisting him to secure traction and move forwardly with the supporting apparatus. Wheels 18a of the walker will only rotate in a forwardly or rearwardly direction, and the patient will hence experience no difficulty due to the walker W tending to move sidewardly.

As described, it will be seen that the patient is completely and comfortably supported in an erect walking position when garment G is suspended from frame F associated with walker W, and it would be impossible for him to fall even though he may faint.

Although the apparatus herein shown and described is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of my invention, and that I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use with a movable Walker for maintaining an invalid in an upright walking position which includes: a torso-enveloping garment formed with leg openings, arm openings, and an open top, and having a longitudinally disposed closable openingextending downwardly from said top to a point above the crotch of said garment; a plurality of laterally adjustable straps mounted on said garment which cause it to conform to said invalids body contour; elongate flexible strap means affixed to the front and back portions of said garment and extending beyond the top portions thereof; a frame; means for removably affixing said frame to a movable walker; a plurality of horizontally disposed rigid cross pieces formed on said frame at a predetermined elevation; and buckle means operatively associated with said strap means to permit looped portions thereof to engage said cross pieces and vertically suspend said garment at such elevation as to permit said invalid to walk.

2. An apparatus for use with a movable walker for maintaining an invalid in an upright walking position which includes: a torso-enveloping garment formed with leg openings, arm openings, and an open top, and having a longitudinally disposed closable opening extending downwardly from said top to a point above the crotch of said garment; means for laterally adjusting said garment to conform to the body contour of the invalid; elongate flexible strap means affixed to the front and rear portions of said garment; a frame comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped laterally spaced sections connected by a plurality of cross pieces at the uppermost portions thereof, said cross pieces being disposed at a predetermined elevation; clamp means for removably affixing the lowermost portions of said sections to a movable walker; and buckle means operatively associated with said strips to permit looped portions thereof to engage said cross pieces and vertically suspend said garment at such elevation as to permit said invalid to walk.

3. An apparatus for use with a movable walker for maintaining an invalid in an upright walking position which includes: a torso-enveloping garment formed with leg openings, arm openings, and an open top, and having a longitudinally disposed closable opening extending downwardly from said top to a point above the crotch of said garment; means for laterally adjusting said garment to the invalids body contour; strap means affixed to the front and back portions of said garment and extending beyond the top portions thereof; a frame comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped laterally spaced sections connected by a plurality of cross pieces at the uppermost portions thereof, said cross pieces being disposed at a predetermined elevation; and buckle means operatively associated with said strap means to permit looped portions thereof to engage said cross pieces and vertically suspend said garment at such elevation as to permit said invalid to walk.

4. An apparatus for use with a movable walker for maintaining an invalid in an upright walking position which includes: a torso-enveloping garment formed with leg openings, arm openings, and an open top, and having a longitudinally disposed closable opening extending downwardly from said top to a point above the crotch of said garment; lacing means mounted on said garment for conforming it to said invalids body contour; elongate flexible strap means afiixed to the front and rear portions of said garment; a frame comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped laterally spaced sections connected by a plurality of cross pieces at the uppermost portions thereof, said cross pieces being disposed at a predetermined elevation; cla'np means for removably afiixing the lowermost portions of said sections to a movable walker; and buckle means operatively associated with said strap means to permit looped portions thereof to engage said cross pieces and vertically suspend said garment at such elevation as to permit said invalid to Walk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 955,954 Emerick Apr. 26, 1910 1,611,807 Bergh Dec. 21, 1926 2,374,182 Duke Apr. 24, 1945 2,505,616 Goldberg Mar. 25, 1950 2,518,935 Reismont Aug. 15, 1950 2,553,036 Christensen May 15, 1951 

